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United States Patent |
5,690,189
|
Karner
|
November 25, 1997
|
Apparatus and method for locking and unlocking the door of an elevator
car
Abstract
An apparatus for locking the door of an elevator car includes a lock (12)
that locks the car door, a guide surface (9) in the elevator shaft at each
landing and a linkage (6) operating the lock (12). The linkage includes an
operating lever (17) which, when at a landing, presses against the guide
surface (9) via a roller. The lever is pivotally attached to the linkage
(6) by a movable pivot (20). When the door is reaching the closed
position, a coupling element (2) transmits motion of the door to the
linkage (6) to operate the lock (12) using the driving power of the door
actuating mechanism.
Inventors:
|
Karner; Franz Josef (St. Anton, AT)
|
Assignee:
|
Kone Oy (Helsinki, FI)
|
Appl. No.:
|
550656 |
Filed:
|
October 31, 1995 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
187/335; 49/116 |
Intern'l Class: |
B66B 013/06 |
Field of Search: |
187/335,313,314,331
49/116,120
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4423799 | Jan., 1984 | Glaser et al. | 187/335.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
0164581 | Dec., 1985 | EP.
| |
0332841 | Sep., 1989 | EP.
| |
0426057 | May., 1991 | EP.
| |
2206331 | Jan., 1989 | GB.
| |
2207122 | Jan., 1989 | GB.
| |
Primary Examiner: Noland; Kenneth
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Claims
What is claimed:
1. Apparatus for locking a door of an elevator car movable in an elevator
shaft, said shaft including a guide surface at each landing, said elevator
car including a door actuating mechanism on the elevator car for moving
the door along a door travelling path, said apparatus comprising:
a lock for locking the door of the elevator car;
a linkage for operating the lock in cooperation with said guide surface,
said linkage including an operating lever having a roller thereon which,
when at a landing, presses against the guide surface, the operating lever
being pivotally attached to the linkage by a movable pivot; and
a coupling element moved by the door actuating mechanism and fitted to
transmit motion of the door produced by the door actuating mechanism to
the linkage only at an ending portion of the door travelling path when the
door is reaching a closed position.
2. The locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element
is a roller that moves with horizontal movement of the door.
3. The locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the linkage is
provided with a lug to which the coupling element is fitted to transmit
the motion of the door produced by the door actuating mechanism to the
linkage.
4. The locking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the coupling element
is a roller that moves with horizontal movement of the door.
5. The locking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the coupling element
is guided by a ramp including a downward sloping portion that slopes
downwardly in the direction of the door closing movement, and wherein the
ramp, the coupling element and the lug are so placed with respect to each
other that, when the coupling element is on the downward sloping portion
of the ramp, the coupling element is pressed against the lug.
6. The locking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lock and the
linkage are mounted on an overhead supporting beam of the car door, and
the lock includes a latch having a vertically movable pin so fitted that
it will, by means of a thrust plate of the lock attached to the door,
prevent the door from being opened when the pin is in an extended
position, and permit the door to be opened when the pin is in a retracted
position, wherein motion of the pin is controlled by a transmission bar
connecting the linkage to the lock, the linkage being adapted to stop the
lock closing movement of the transmission bar to effect a change of the
position of the movable pivot of the operating lever so as to cause the
roller of the operating lever to be disengaged from contact with the guide
surface.
7. The locking apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the coupling element
is a roller that moves with horizontal movement of the door.
8. The locking apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the linkage is
provided with a lug to which the coupling element is fitted to transmit
the motion of the door produced by the door actuating mechanism to the
linkage.
9. The locking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the coupling element
is a roller that moves with horizontal movement of the door.
10. The locking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the coupling
element is guided by a ramp including a downward sloping portion that
slopes downwardly in the direction of the door closing movement, and
wherein the ramp, the coupling element and the lug are so placed with
respect to each other that, when the coupling element is on the downward
sloping portion of the ramp, the coupling element is pressed against the
lug.
11. A method for locking and unlocking the car door of an elevator by means
of a locking apparatus including a lock in the elevator car for locking
the door, a guide surface in the elevator shaft at each landing, and a
linkage acting on the lock, said linkage including an operating lever
having a roller thereon which, when at a landing, presses against the
guide surface, the operating lever being pivotally attached to the linkage
by a movable pivot, said method comprising the steps of:
transmitting a driving power from a car door actuating mechanism to the
linkage and further via the linkage to close the lock only when the door
is reaching a closed position; and
removing the force effect produced by the car door actuating mechanism from
the linkage and permitting a return action that releases the lock to take
place in the linkage in order to unlock the car door.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the following
steps for locking the car door with the lock:
coupling the driving power from the door actuating mechanism to the linkage
at the final stage of the closing movement of the door;
using the driving power to shift the position of the pivot in the linkage;
and
producing the closing of the lock as a combined effect of the pivot being
shifted and the operating lever pressing on the guide surface.
13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the following
steps for releasing the car door:
removing the force effect produced by the actuating mechanism from the
linkage;
with the operating lever pressing on the guide surface, allowing the
linkage to return to the condition that prevailed prior to the change
produced by the driving power; and
releasing the lock by this return action of the linkage.
14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the following
steps when locking the car door:
coupling the movement of the car door to the linkage; and
causing the linkage to turn against the force generated by a return element
provided in the linkage according to the movement of the car door.
15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the following
steps for releasing the car door:
removing the force effect produced by the actuating mechanism from the
linkage;
with the operating lever pressing on the guide surface, allowing the
linkage to return to the condition that prevailed prior to the change
produced by the driving power; and
releasing the lock by this return action of the linkage.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the following
steps when locking the car door:
coupling the movement of the car door to the linkage; and
causing the linkage to turn against the force generated by a return element
provided in the linkage according to the movement of the car door.
17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of
disengaging the roller on the operating lever from contact with the guide
surface at the end of a car door locking operation.
18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the following
steps when locking the car door:
coupling the movement of the car door to the linkage; and
causing the linkage to turn against the force generated by a return element
provided in the linkage according to the movement of the car door.
19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of
disengaging the roller on the operating lever from contact with the guide
surface at the end of a car door locking operation.
20. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of
disengaging the roller on the operating lever from contact with the guide
surface at the end of a car door locking operation.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for locking the car door of
an elevator, and to a procedure for locking and unlocking the car door of
an elevator.
2. Description of the Background Art
Automatic elevator doors are opened and closed by a door drive mounted in
conjunction with the elevator car. In a conventional arrangement, the door
drive moves the door of the elevator car. The motion of the car door is
transmitted to the landing door by means of a door coupler provided on the
car door. When the elevator is moving, the door of its car must always
remain locked so that the door cannot be opened. The door of an elevator
car must also remain locked when the elevator has stopped between floors
e.g. due to a power failure, so that a passenger cannot open the door by
more than a few centimetres. The system for locking the elevator doors is
required to be reliable and durable. The door locking system of the
elevator should not produce disturbing noise.
To lock the elevator door in a reliable manner suitable for elevator
applications, various systems have been devised that are either expensive
or too complex. For instance, a locking system operated by a separate
electro-mechanical actuator requires a separate subsystem or a parallel
system for controlling the door operation, for locking and unlocking the
door. Moreover, a locking system operated by a separate electro-mechanical
actuator always involves an additional expense in the system, depending on
the price of the actuator. Often the locking system also takes up too much
space and the door of the elevator car or the door suspension has to be
more or less designed on terms of the placement of the locking equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To meet the need to achieve a simple mechanically operated system for
locking the door of an elevator car that is applicable in modern elevator
environment and technology and is advantageous in respect of manufacturing
costs and space utilization, easy to install and quiet in operation, a new
system for locking the door of an elevator car is presented as an
invention.
The advantages achievable by the invention include the following:
The locking apparatus is inexpensive to manufacture.
The locking apparatus has a construction that does not require a large
space, allowing the apparatus to be placed even in thin structures without
difficulty.
The locking apparatus is easy to install in conjunction with the door and,
being mechanically controlled, requires no separate electric actuating
equipment.
The locking apparatus for an elevator door is applicable for use with
different locks.
The door remains locked outside floor areas, possible disturbances
affecting the electrical system of the elevator have no effect on the
locking.
In the event of a power failure, if the elevator has stopped between
landings, the door can be opened after the elevator has been driven
manually to a landing.
The apparatus generates no extra noise during elevator travel or when the
car door is being locked or released.
The locking and unlocking of the car door of the elevator is temporally and
physically linked with the opening and closing of the door.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become
apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it
should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples,
while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way
of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in
the art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed
description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are
given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the
present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 presents the locking apparatus of the invention when the car is at a
landing with the lock released;
FIG. 2 presents the locking apparatus at a landing with the lock closed;
and
FIG. 3 presents the locking apparatus in a situation where the elevator is
outside the landing zone and a passenger is trying to open the car door.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The locking apparatus for the door of an elevator car is designed to be
operated by a driving power obtained from the door motor. In the
transmission of the driving power, the door actuating mechanism is
utilized by an arrangement whereby the door movement is coupled to the
locking apparatus during part of the door movement for the transmission of
motion and power.
FIG. 1 presents the locking apparatus of the invention and the associated
equipment. The suspension plate 1 of the car door is provided with a door
coupler 4 (shown only in part in the figures). A door coupler spring 13
connects the sheet metal coupling vanes 14 and 15, between which the
landing door rollers (not shown in the figures) enter when the door
coupler engages the landing door. The coupling vanes 14 and 15 move
substantially in a horizontal direction and due to this movement the gap
between the door coupling vanes 14 and 15 is opened and closed within
preset limits. Vane 15 moves only through a short distance in horizontal
and vertical directions with respect to the suspension plate 1. Attached
to the upper part of vane 15 is a coupling roller 2. The movement of the
vane 15 is controlled by the coupling roller 2, which follows a ramp 5, so
that when the roller reaches the downwards sloping part of the ramp, the
vane 15 will sink following the shape of the ramp 5. The ramp 5 is
immovably fixed to the overhead supporting beam 16. The overhead
supporting beam 16 also contains a lock 12, and the linkage 6 operating
the lock is mounted with pivots on the overhead supporting beam. The pin
10 acting as the latch of the lock is in its high position, permitting the
door to be opened. In the situation depicted by FIG. 1, the door is
slightly open, which is evident from the fact that the thrust plate 11 of
the lock, attached to the door suspension plate 1, has been shifted to the
left of the lock. The linkage 6 is provided with a roller 8 designed to
follow guide surfaces 9 mounted in the shaft in each landing zone, said
guide surfaces having a length corresponding to the landing zone in the
direction of elevator movement. When the roller 8 is on a guide surface 9,
the elevator is in a landing zone and opening of the doors is enabled,
whereas in other situations opening of the car door, at least from inside
the car, is disabled. The linkage 6 is provided with a return element
consisting of a return spring 7. In addition to the roller 8 and the
return spring 7 already mentioned, the linkage comprises the following
parts: an operating lever 17, the roller 8 being mounted with a bearing on
the first end of the lever, a transmission bar 19 transmitting the motion
of the operating lever 17 to the mechanism 18 actuating the lock pin 10 in
the lock 12 and levers 21 and 22, which are turnably mounted on the
overhead supporting beam 16 by pivots 23 and 24. The movement of the lock
pin 10 is preferably spring-loaded. Levers 21 and 22 are connected by
their ends by an intermediate link 25 so that the levers 21 and 22 remain
mutually aligned in the same direction while turning about the pivots 23
and 24. When lever 22 turns about its pivot 24, this produces a horizontal
movement of the pivot 20 at the first end of the operating lever 17 that
connects the operating lever 17 to the linkage 6. The intermediate link 25
is provided with a lug 26 for the coupling roller 2. The figures do not
show the door actuating mechanism. The opening and closing movements
produced by the door actuating mechanism have a significance with respect
to the invention as these movements are utilized in the locking apparatus.
The movement can be transmitted either directly to the door, to the door
suspension plate 1 or even to the door coupler vane 15 carrying the
coupling roller 2.
In FIG. 2, the locking apparatus is presented in a situation where the
elevator is in a landing zone and the lock 12 locks the door. To lock the
door, the pin 10 is thrust out from the lock to prevent the thrust plate
11 of the lock and thus also the suspension plate 1 from moving to the
left. The action producing the locking is as follows. The roller 8 is on
the guide surface 9. The roller shaft is the fulcrum 27 about which the
operating lever 17 turns. As the door drive mechanism drives the door
towards the closed position (to the right), the door coupler vane 15 moves
right along with the door. The movement of the vane 15 is guided by the
ramp 5 so that, as the coupling roller 2 moves from the level portion of
the ramp to the portion sloping down to the right, the roller 2 forces the
lug 26 connected to the linkage 6 to move before it. In this way, the
coupling roller 2 couples the driving power needed for the closing of the
lock 12 from the door to the linkage 6 and produces in the linkage a
movement that results in the closing of the lock. As the lug 26 moves
right, levers 21 and 22 are turned about their pivots 23 and 4, causing
the joint 20 located between the ends of the operating lever to move left,
with the result that the operating lever 17 turns about its fulcrum 27,
simultaneously forcing the transmission bar 19 towards the lock (to the
left in the figure). This movement of the transmission bar causes the lock
pin 10 to protrude from the lock to stop the motion of the thrust plate 11
of the lock and thus to prevent the suspension plate 1 from moving left,
with the result that the door cannot be opened. The premature
disengagement of the roller 8 from the guide surface 9 can be prevented
e.g. with a spring which is pressing roller 8 agaist surface 9. After the
lock pin 10 has been pushed out to its extreme position, the mechanism 18
actuating the lock pin 10 stops the motion of the transmission bar 19 and
the joint 28 at the other end of the operating lever 17 becomes the
fulcrum about which the operating lever 17 turns as lever 22 pushes joint
20 to the left while the coupling roller is pressed against the lug 26. In
this way, the final portion of the door closing movement disengages the
roller 8 from the guide surface 9, producing a sufficient clearance
between the roller and the guide surface. Another possible way to stop the
motion of the transmission bar 19 is e.g. by using a pin fixed to the
overhead supporting beam 16 and going through an elongated slot made in
the transmission bar.
The closing movement of the door, i.e. the movement of the suspension plate
1 to the right, is limited by an end stopper 3. In addition to setting a
definite end position for the door movement, the end stopper 3 together
with the shape of the ramp 5 and the play of the door coupler vane 15 also
sets the extreme position to which the linkage 6 can be turned by the door
movement and in which the linkage is to be held when the door is in the
locked condition. On the other hand, the return spring 7 tries to turn the
linkage 6 to its other extreme position.
FIG. 3 shows the locking apparatus in a situation where the elevator has
moved away from the landing zone, i.e. there is no guide surface in the
shaft to provide a stop face for the roller 8. If an attempt is made to
open the car door when the car has stopped outside the landing zone e.g.
due to a power failure, then the door suspension plate 1 and therefore the
thrust plate 11 of the lock 12 will move left until the thrust plate meets
the lock pin 10. The allowed opening width is set by the positions of the
lock 12 and its thrust plate 11 relative to each other; in practice, the
maximum opening width of a locked door is set by appropriately positioning
the thrust plate of the lock. Another advantageous implementation of the
thrust plate of the lock is one in which the thrust plate is provided with
a hole into which the pin 10 is thrust. The hole being elongated in the
direction of movement of the door, the allowed maximum opening width of
the door is determined by the length of the hole. Trying to open the door
causes the linkage 6 to be deflected from the position in which it is
intended to remain when the door is locked, and after the opening attempt
the linkage 6 is returned to this intended position by virtue of the ramp
5. After the coupling roller 2 has moved up from the sloping part of the
ramp 5, the coupling roller 2 no longer presses the lug 26 to the right
and the return spring 7 turns levers 21 and 22 back to their rest
position, causing pivot 20 to move. As there is no guide surface to
provide a stop face for the roller 8, the roller shaft will not be the
fulcrum about which the operating lever 17 turns. Instead, the operating
lever 17 now turns about the joint 28 between the transmission bar 19 and
the operating lever 17, and the motion of the operating lever does not
effect a withdrawal of the transmission bar 19 from the direction of the
lock 12, so no releasing effect is transmitted to the lock. Now, when the
car is brought in this condition to a landing zone again, i.e. when the
roller 8 meets a guide surface as illustrated by FIG. 1, then the roller 8
rising onto the guide surface 9 causes the operating lever 17 to turn
about pivot 20 and the operating lever draws the transmission bar 19 so
that the lock is released.
The locking and releasing cycle taking place when the elevator is in a
landing zone can be briefly described as follows.
The car door is locked at the end of the door closing movement by operating
the door motor. To close the door, the suspension plate 1 and door panel
is driven to the end stopper 3. As the end stopper 3 is reached and after
the door coupler 4 has been opened, the coupling roller 2 moves along the
ramp 5. Via the lug 26, the coupling roller 2 forces the linkage 6 to turn
against the spring force of the return spring 7. As a result of the
movement of the linkage 6, the pin 10 of the lock 12 is thrust downwards
to block the movement of the thrust plate 11 of the lock and the roller 8
is lifted clear of the ramp 9. Safety circuit contactors (not shown in the
figures) provided in the lock 12 are closed, whereupon the elevator is
able to depart.
At the start of the door opening action, the locking is released by driving
the door in the open direction by means of the door mechanism. As the
coupling roller 2 is withdrawn, the spring force of the return spring 7
causes the lug 26 to follow the coupling roller 2 and, via the linkage 6,
the roller 8 to be lowered back to the ramp 9 and the pin 10 of the lock
12 to be pulled up to permit the thrust plate 11 of the lock to move. The
safety circuit contactors in the lock 12 are opened.
It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the embodiments of the
invention are not restricted to the examples described above, but that
they may instead be varied in the scope of the claims presented below. For
instance, the motion of the door can be transmitted to the linkage by
using an element other than a roller, or the coupling roller can be
connected in a different way in the door instead of to the door coupler
vane. In addition, e.g. in a centre-opening door, both door panels can be
provided with a thrust plate for the lock and the same lock pin can block
the motion of both door panels. The thrust plate of the lock can be
attached to another part of the door instead of to the suspension plate of
the door. It is also obvious to the skilled person that the control of the
driving motor of the door mechanism at the end of the closing movement of
the door and at the beginning of the opening movement of the door can be
implemented by specifically considering the properties and power
requirement of the locking apparatus. It is further obvious to the skilled
person that there are various mechanisms for moving automatic elevator
doors and that each elevator can be provided with a mechanism that best
suits it.
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